EKU to Establish Ctr for Renewable Fuel Technologies
Eastern Kentucky University has announced plans to establish the EKU Center for Renewable and Alternative Fuel Technologies (CRAFT). The Center will provide researches with the opportunity to examine the potential for a cellulose-derived biodiesel industry in Kentucky. CRAFT will aim to identify and develop baseline agricultural and economics data. The work will include: the prioritization of agricultural crops that would make good feedstock for the production of bio-oils; the identification of land that could be cultivated without negatively impacting existing agricultural businesses; the determination of potential/probable crop yields; the identification of the economic impacts on the Commonwealth’s agricultural, transportation, and biofuels industries; and the determination of transition scenarios for moving toward a biofuel industry in the Commonwealth.
Frostburg State U Receives Champion Award for Solar Energy
Frostburg State University (MD) has received the "Champion Award" from the Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia section of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The award recognizes FSU’s success in establishing a renewable energy demonstration and training program and its Wind and Solar Energy Residential Demonstration System, WISE.
Iowa State U Adds 4 Electric Vehicles to its Fleet
Iowa State University has purchased four new electric vehicles to add to its fleet. ISU purchased the 4 vehicles, which travel up to 50 miles on one charge, from 3 different manufacturers in order to test each one.
Middlebury College to Reduce Energy Use in Prgms Abroad
The Middlebury College (VT) Office of International Programs, Off-Campus Study, and Sustainability Integration have begun a year-long effort to assess the environmental practices of its abroad programs. Students and faculty are working to develop an assessment tool that will help to define what it means to be sustainable and will enable each program to evaluate its own status in regards to the definition. The Directors of each program will meet in the summer of 2009 to evaluate the project and decide how to implement changes at each site.
Princeton Alumni Climate Effort Receives 100 Endorsers
The Princeton University (NJ) Sustainable Energy Transition has begun the Princeton Alumni Climate Effort. The project aimed to reach, and has attained, 100 endorsers from 30 classes who agree to encourage their alma mater to become a leader in climate change practice. After going live in early October, the Princeton Alumni for Climate Excellence (PACE) campaign has connected with alumni over email, on Facebook, and at alumni events in New York City. The statement signed by over 100 alumni calls on the University to aim for climate neutrality in its campus operations by 2030.
Rice University Completes Recycling Competition
Rice University (TX) has completed its November-only inter-college recycling competition. Sid Richardson College came in first place with 54 pounds of collected material, more than twice the amount of runner-up Wiess College. Campus recycling increased by 52 percent during the competition, which was created by a group of students in a course entitled, Environmental Issues: Rice in the Future.
St. John's U Partners with EPA to Reduce its Env'l Impact
St. John's University (NY) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the US Environmental Protection Agency to reduce its environmental impacts by adopting sustainable practices and joining EPA partnership programs. The agreement includes goals to reduce the energy consumed by the school's buildings and plants by at least 10 percent, adopting water conservation and material re-use strategies guided by the EPA's GreenScapes landscaping program, and conducting an energy audit of the St. Albert Hall laboratory and reducing its energy needs through EPA’s Labs 21 program. St. John’s will report the progress on its goals to EPA every six months.
U California Santa Barbara Unveils Solar Array
The University of California, Santa Barbara has installed a rooftop solar array on the campus' recreation center. The University expects the $1.5 million solar project to reduce its energy costs by $100,000 annually. The bulk of the project’s cost, about $872,000, came from student fees that are allocated to the Recreation Center Governance Board.
U Idaho Bookstore Contributes to Sustainability Fund
The University of Idaho Bookstore will contribute $2,000 to the University of Idaho Sustainability Center (UISC) as part of its annual textbook buy-back event. The Sustainability Center will use the additional funds to support activities that further sustainability initiatives at the institution.
U Missouri Bookstore Sells Eco-Friendly Clothing
The University of Missouri Bookstore has begun selling T-shirts and zip-up hooded sweatshirts made by an eco-friendly clothing company. The company’s T-shirts and sweatshirts are made of low-impact organic cotton and produced in facilities in India run solely on wind and solar energy by fair trade workers.
U New Hampshire Saves Energy with Reduction Campaign
The University of New Hampshire has announced that faculty, staff, and students saved approximately 192,000 kilowatt-hours of energy through the university’s fourth Student Energy Waste Watch Challenge and annual Thanksgiving “power down” initiative. The University saved $27,000 in energy costs as a result of both initiatives.
U Phoenix Offsets Energy for Monday Night Football Game
The University of Phoenix (AZ) has purchased 95,000 kWh of renewable energy certificates to offset 100 percent of the electricity used in the Monday Night Football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers held at University of Phoenix Stadium on November 10, 2008. The University purchased the electricity through the Salt River Project's EarthWise program.
U Waterloo Signs MOU for Renewable Energy Research
The University of Waterloo (ON) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in India and the Centennial Energy Institute in Canada to further enable research on renewable energy, nanotechnology, and nuclear engineering. The goal of the agreement is to improve energy security, reliability, and affordability. The partnership will allow for students and faculty from both institutions to collaborate.
York Technical College Converts Kitchen Grease to Biodiesel
York Technical College (ON) has begun producing its own biodiesel fuel to be used in its maintenance and grounds-keeping equipment. The College uses a biodiesel processor to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel for off-road use. The project was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Diesel Campaign.
4 Ohio Colleges Partner to Launch Master's in Renewable Energy
The University of Dayton, Wright State University, Central State University and the Air Force Institute of Technology have partnered to launch a Master's degree program in Clean and Renewable Energy. Faculty from all four institutions will teach courses, and students will earn a degree from either UD or Wright State, depending on where students enroll. Classes will focus on the development of energy-reducing design techniques, renewable energy and manufacturing systems, and better forms of solar energy, fuel cells, and biofuels.
Cabrillo College Adds New Degree in Organic Food Production
Cabrillo College (CA) has announced plans to launch a new degree program in Organic Food Production in the spring of 2009. In the program, students will learn to manage organic farms and how to produce fruits, vegetables, and meats for market.
Central Lakes College Receives $100,000 for Energy Research
The Central Lakes College (MN) Ag Center at Staples has received a $100,000 renewable energy grant from the state of Minnesota Next Generation Energy Board. The grant will help the center with projects such as cellulosic ethanol production, an anaerobic digester technology for hog manure, and using turfgrass to produce electricity. The center will also evaluate the best methods for growing and harvesting switchgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, Survivor false indigo, prairie cordgrass, and miscanthus as cellulosic energy crops.
Clarkson U Establishes Center for Sustainable Energy Systems
Clarkson University (NY) has launched the Center for Sustainable Energy Systems. The Center aims to create new approaches to energy education, biofuels, hydrogen cells, solar energy, wind power, and efficiency. CSES supports energy research for more than 40 faculty members.
College Presidents Give Back Pay
The New York Times has published an article on the high number of college and university presidents that have returned a portion of their base pay and/or declined a pay increase due to recent financial difficulties at their institutions. The article specifically mentions the chancellor of Washington University (MO), the president of the University of Pennsylvania, the president of the University of Washington, and the president of Washington State University as campus leaders that have taken voluntary cuts in pay.
Eastern Mennonite U to Build Green Residence Hall
Eastern Mennonite University (VA) has announced plans to construct a new green residence hall on campus. The $6.5 million building will seek LEED Silver certification. The 120 bed facility will open in the fall of 2009.
Emory U Breaks Ground for Green Bookstore & Admissions Office
Emory University (GA) has started construction on a new three story, 58,000 square foot building. The facility will contain admissions offices and a new bookstore. The structure, which is being built in accordance with LEED certification standards, will feature native vegetation walls and a green courtyard.
Emory U to Build Green Science and Math Center
Emory University (GA) has announced plans to build a $35 million Science and Mathematics Building at Oxford College. The building has been designed to meet LEED certification standards. Green features will include: an on-site wetland, outdoor classroom seating, a green roof, and natural lighting.
Harvard U Unveils Green Housing Complex
Harvard University (MA) has unveiled a new green housing complex for graduate students. The 115,000 square foot building is expected to receive LEED certification. Green features of the 215 bed residence include regionally-sourced siding with recycled content, renewable bamboo flooring and wall paneling, and low-VOC finishes.
Humboldt State Launches Sustainability Website
Humboldt State University (CA) has launched a new sustainability website that details initiatives and policies the University has launched to reduce its ecological footprint. The site also gives users information on sustainability-focused clubs and organizations, profiles members of the HSU and Humboldt County communities, and offers advice for greening your daily life. The website also features regularly updated articles concerning campus news related to sustainability, a calendar of eco-friendly events, and a guide for undergraduates wishing to focus their studies on environmental issues.
New MPH Degree at GWU Focuses on Sustainability
The School of Public Health at George Washington University (DC) has announced plans to offer a new Master's of Public Health degree in Environmental Health Science and Policy, starting in the summer of 2009. The new degree will emphasize regulatory policy, sustainability, and practical experience. Courses will include Environmental Health in a Sustainable World, Protecting Public Health and the Environment, and Global Environmental and Occupational Health. Students will also complete the public health core courses required of all of the school’s MPH students, and will have six elective credits that allow them to pursue their particular areas of interest, such as occupational safety and health, climate change, or child health.
Northampton CC Waives Tuition for Unemployed
Northampton Community College (PA) has announced plans to reinstate its Tuition Waiver program for Spring 2009. The program will allow unemployed persons to take up to 12 credits tuition-free in certain career programs, or a maximum of $900 in specified non-credit work-related classes.
Notre Dame Hosts Carbon Neutral Football Game
The University of Notre Dame's (IN) final home game of the 2008 football season, played against Syracuse University (NY), was carbon-neutral. For the first time, all of the carbon emissions produced by stadium energy use, fan travel, hotel stays, and visiting team travel were offset by energy conservation projects coordinated by the University’s Office of Sustainability.
Oklahoma State U to Launch Wind Turbine Technology Program
Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City has announced plans to offer an Associate's of Applied Science degree in Wind Turbine Technology. The two year degree will focus on training technicians to work on utility-scale wind turbines and will consist of classes in electrical, power transmission, industrial safety, climbing, scheduled maintenance and general service. Students can begin enrolling in the new program immediately and will start classes in January 2009.
Saint Xavier U Opens Office of Sustainability
Saint Xavier University (IL) has opened an Office of Sustainability to coordinate environmentally friendly initiatives on campus. Student employees and interns have begun working on green projects ranging from searching for grants, collecting data for a green house gas audit, and maintaining SXU’s new GreenBike program, which allows students to borrow bikes from computerized kiosks around the campus.
Shenandoah U Tries More Equitable Salary Increases
Shenandoah University (VA) has increased each employee's base pay by $1,000 instead of implementing its normal raises that are based on a percentage of each employee's pay. This year's increase allowed lower-paid staff to receive more help than usual. Additionally, several senior-level administrators at Shenandoah have decided to forgo their raises this year. The excess money is being used to help students who are struggling to pay their tuition.
Suffolk U to Renovate Theatre for Student Housing
Suffolk University (MA) has announced plans to restore and renovate a theatre constructed in the 1800s. The Modern Theatre Project will include a new 184-seat theater, a 197 bed residence hall, and gallery space. The University has designed the building to achieve LEED certification.
U Georgia Holds Green Football Game
The University of Georgia has partnered with Georgia Power to power its football game against Georgia Tech with renewable sources. The majority of electricity for them game came from the Seminole Landfill methane gas facility.
U Michigan, GM Partner to Train Alternative Powertrain Engineers
The University of Michigan has partnered with General Motors to train 50 GM engineers on alternative powertrain technology, the skills and tools used to create hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles. The GM engineers will begin taking UM courses in January in pursuit of a Master's degree. GM initiated the partnership in hopes of refocusing a portion of its company around the electrification of the vehicle.
U Michigan Provides $365 K for Energy Modulating Tool
The University of Michigan has announced that it will provide $365,000 in seed money to launch an effort to build a robust, ultimately Web-based, interactive tool that enables people to answer real-world questions about how and if energy technologies can succeed. The University hopes that the models, which are intended to be modular, accessible and changeable over the web, will provide capability and accessibility for answering how the energy world works and what are the likely consequences of actions, policies, and world events. The immediate goal is to create an interactive website-based model where users can explore scenarios for future automotive and electricity grid performance and costs, as well as market conditions subject to regulation, and visualize the time-scales over which plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. UM also plans for the website to be able to present measures that will aid in assessing the quality of simulation outcomes for society and the realism of the input scenarios.
U North Dakota to Establish Bioproducts Center of Excellence
University of North Dakota affiliate, North Dakota Sustainable Energy Research Initiative and Supporting Education (SUNRISE) group has been awarded $2.95 million from the North Dakota Department of Commerce for 2009-2011 to establish the SUNRISE BioProducts Center of Excellence for biobased chemicals, polymers, and composites. In addition to research, development, and commercialization activities, SUNRISE BioProducts will contribute to three SUNRISE outreach programs: Power ON! - a program to encourage 5th-8th graders in math, science, and engineering; the NATURE Freshman Experience to expose Native American high school and tribal college students to chemistry and chemical engineering; and the SUNRISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates-a summer program to introduce college undergraduate students to research.
12 PA Campuses Receive 2008 Solar Scholars PV Grants
12 Pennsylvania colleges have received a total of $180,000 in matching grants to fund the design and installation of a solar system on campus and to help integrate renewable energy concepts and technologies into the curriculum. The grants, which were provided by the Sustainable Energy Fund and PPL Electric Utilities, were awarded to Dickinson College, Elizabethtown College, Franklin & Marshall College, Harrisburg Area Community College, Lycoming College, Muhlenberg College, Northampton Community College in Bethlehem; Penn College of Technology in Williamsport; Pennsylvania State University, Hazleton, Pennsylvania State University, Schuylkill, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, and the University of Scranton.
15 Ohio Campuses Receive Recycling Grants
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has announced a total of $390,235 in grants to 15 public colleges and universities across the state to expand recycling and waste reduction efforts on their campuses. The grants range from $5,833 to $50,000, depending on the type of project funded and the grant amount requested. Institutions receiving grants will expand existing recycling programs, as well as initiate new ones. Many of the programs are innovative and virtually all involve increased education and awareness of the need for material conservation and waste reduction. Awards were given to the Central Ohio Technical College, Columbus State Community College, Jefferson Community College, Kent State University Campus – East Liverpool, Kent State University – Tuscarawas, Cuyahoga Community College, Kent State University (main campus), Bowling Green State University, Northwest State Community College, the University of Toledo, Shawnee State University, Central State University, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Miami University, and Sinclair Community College.
74 Campuses Participate in Bon Appetit's Eat Local Challenge
74 campuses recently participated in the Eat Local Challenge, an event when all Bon Appétit customers across the country offer a meal, cooked by Bon Appétit chefs, made with ingredients from within 150 miles of their café. Bon Appétit, a food services company, started the event in 2005 and continues to hold the event annually.
App State U Students Pass Water Conservation Legislation
Appalachian State University’s (NC) Student Government Association has passed legislation recommending that all urinals in new campus buildings or renovated structures conform to low-flow standards. The legislation asks that the urinals use only one-eighth of a gallon of water per flush.
Arbor Day Foundation Announced 'Tree Campus USA' Program
The Arbor Day Foundation has announced the creation of the Tree Campus USA program, which will recognize college campuses that are committed to planting, maintaining, and celebrating trees. As part of the kick off, the Foundation will hold kick off tree-planting events at 9 campuses this fall. The aim of the program is to honor college campuses for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship. Colleges and universities will be required to meet five core standards of tree care and community engagement in order to receive Tree Campus USA Status. Those standards are establishing a campus tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body. The tree planting events will be held at: Northern Kentucky University, University of Michigan, University of Texas, Arizona State University, Oregon State University, University of Nebraska, Virginia Tech, University of California, San Diego, and Jackson State University (MS).
Auburn U Reduces Water Usage by Up to 80%
Auburn University (AL) has announced that it has reduced its water usage in landscaping by up to 80 percent in 2008. The University did so by planting drought resistant species, installing drip-tape instead of sprinklers, and using frequency and duration timers.
Canadian Report Features Student Activism in Campus Sustainability
GlobeCampus, The Globe and Mail 's site dedicated to undergraduate education in Canada, has published is Canadian University Report 2009. The publication features an article entitled "Lean green campus machines" that discusses the catalytic role students have played in an effort to make colleges and universities more sustainable. The article mentions students' presence on sustainability committees, student approved green fees, and grassroots efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste. Oth
Coastal Carolina U Receives Grant to Study Wind Power
Coastal Carolina University has received a $200,000 grant from the Budget and Control Board’s South Carolina Energy Office to study offshore wind power potential in South Carolina. Coastal Carolina University and North Carolina State University partners will collect data using an observation network along the South Carolina coast that measures wind, wave, and tide resources. The data will be acquired using several ocean/atmospheric monitoring stations off the coast to identify optimal sites for wind energy structures based on overall energy potential and projected grid connection and foundation costs, as well as environmental and aesthetic impacts. Coastal Carolina University plans to investigate areas along the South Carolina coast, stretching from the North Carolina border to the Winyah Bay area in Georgetown County.
College of William & Mary to Expand Outdoor Recycling
The College of William and Mary (VA) Student Senate has passed the Outdoor Recycling Containers Act which will place 13 new recycling receptacles on campus. The student environmental group SEAC and the service fraternity APO will empty the receptacles, just as they currently empty the ones located in academic buildings. The new receptacles would be placed around the Sunken Gardens, the UC terrace, the Campus Center, and the Undergraduate Admissions office.
Columbia College Receives Recycling Grant
Columbia College has received $35,000 from the California Department of Conservation's 2008-09 Beverage Container Recycling Grant. Columbia College's grant will be used for purchasing campus recycling stations, consumer education, and funding of a part-time student worker to assist in coordination.
Cornell to Eliminate Tuition for Families with Incomes Below $60K
Cornell University (NY) has announced plans to further reduce student loans for its neediest students. The new financial aid initiative will eliminate the parental contribution for undergraduate students from families with incomes below $60,000 and assets below $100,000; cap need-based student loans at $7,500 annually for students who have financial need and whose families have annual incomes above $120,000; and reduce the parental contribution for selected students who have financial need and whose families have annual incomes above $60,000. Cornell already eliminates need-based student loans for family incomes below $60,000 (the income level will rise to $75,000 in fall 2009), and annually caps need-based student loans at $3,000 for family incomes between $60,000 and $120,000.
Eastern Michigan U Breaks Ground for Green Science Building
Eastern Michigan University has broken ground for the 72,000 square foot addition to the Mark Jefferson Building, which will be undergoing a renovation as well. Green features to the new science addition will include a mechanical system that will reduce energy consumption, a green roof, and a rain garden.
George Washington U Opens Office of Sustainability
George Washington University (DC) has established an Office of Sustainability. The new Office will coordinate GW's sustainability initiatives, move the University toward carbon neutrality, and implement the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. The Office is currently searching for a director.
Goucher College, U Phoenix Purchase RECs
Goucher College (MD) has announced that it will purchase renewable energy to offset a portion of its electricity usage. Constellation NewEnergy will supply Goucher with Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to match 25 percent of the college's projected electricity consumption for the next three years. Goucher's RECs will come from wind energy sources certified by Green-e Energy, an independent verification program for renewable energy. Similarly, the University of Phoenix (AZ) has announced plans to purchase 46.5 million kWh of RECs, an amount equal to the electricity used by its 26 buildings in the Phoenix area annually. The University is purchasing the RECs from a wind farm in Washington through Salt River Project's EarthWise program, which will also be certified by Green-e Energy.
